


The Care and Keeping of Corpse Children

by Ferith12



Series: Corpse Child [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, Prussia's Questionable Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27636803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ferith12/pseuds/Ferith12
Summary: Little Germany followed after Prussia like a small, solemn faced shadow.
Relationships: Germany & Prussia (Hetalia)
Series: Corpse Child [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021273
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	The Care and Keeping of Corpse Children

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to write Germany having Extremely Creepy vibes, but then the story ended without my consent. Another time, I suppose.

Little Germany followed after Prussia like a small, solemn faced shadow. He was smaller than Holy Rome had been when he died, his body had been made from Holy Rome’s, taken to pieces and sewn back together, and such processes always leave you with less than you had to begin with. Germany was delicate, his body crisscrossed with the scars of Prussia’s stitching. His health was very good for a thing that had, not long ago, been dead, but it was not robust. However, the scars were healing and fading, and Prussia had confidence that in time they would fade entirely, and Germany grew stronger every day.

Prussia wondered at first if the little creature was capable of laughter, if something inside him was too fundamentally broken to experience light-heartedness. Germany did laugh, Prussia learned, but he laughed rarely and quietly.

“You,” Prussia told him, “Are far too young to be so dignified,” but he said it proudly.

It was a novel thing to be in charge of a small child. Most young Nations dressed themselves and comported themselves as if they were miniature adults. Prussia did not approve of this, really. He thought children, if at all possible, should be children. But at the same time he knew how important it was to learn to take things seriously, and to be taken seriously in turn. When Germany was at home alone with him, Prussia dressed him in skirts and children’s clothing, and when he trained he dressed him in a little military uniform, and when he followed Prussia to meetings, he dressed him in smart suits of men’s clothing.

On this particular day Germany was dressed to accompany Prussia to a meeting with some important political people. Germany stared at him intently as they rode to the meeting. The child never asked for anything. If he wanted anything, Prussia would usually catch him staring at something and guess what it was he wanted. He was of two minds on this. On the one hand, it was good for Germany not to be demanding. Prussia tended to be too soft on the child and worried that he would be spoiled. On the other hand, assertiveness and independence were important. (On the other other hand, Prussia did not want Germany learning to be independent just yet.)   
“Do you want to sit on my lap?” Prussia asked. Germany nodded.

“You may,” Prussia said, “But only until we get to the meeting. Then you must remember your manners as a gentleman.”

Germany eagerly scrambled onto Prussia’s lap, but then frowned in thought.

“Ask,” Prussia commanded.

“May I hold your hand in the meeting?” Germany asked.

Prussia considered this. It would be a childish sort of gesture, but then again it would be a good way to demonstrate their unity. And in any case, it felt cruel to refuse.

“You may,” Prussia said. Germany smiled like the clear blue sky appearing after a storm. There were a frightening number of things, Prussia considered, that he would do for that smile.

During the meeting Germany sat very still and polite. He was always incredibly polite, and he never squirmed and he never seemed to grow bored of grown-up affairs. He was like an example of the model child written in one of those primmers for children’s edification grown to life. Prussia was exceedingly proud of him.

“Well,” a french ambassador said when the official business was over, “It is not too terrible to look at I suppose.” And he smiled at Germany and patted him on the head.

It was a gesture meant kindly, if condescendingly, but Germany hissed with pain as the man brushed one of his still tender scars hidden beneath his hair.

“Don’t touch him,” Prussia snarled, pulling Germany back and placing himself between the two of them. The man recoiled, too frightened to be properly offended.

“Your scars are hurting you today?” Prussia asked when they were once again seated in the carriage for the return journey. Germany nodded.

“But,” he said, “Not as badly as they did a week ago.”

“They will heal entirely, with time,” Prussia said, “I’m sorry I cannot say how long.”

Then, he said, “You should not have shown pain like that in public. It makes you appear weak.”

“I’m sorry,” Germany said, “I know you want me to be strong.”

“You needn’t be sorry,” Prussia said, “Only learn to be better. That, too comes with time.”

Little Germany fell asleep with his head on Prussia’s shoulder, and Prussia stroked his hair, careful to avoid the places where raw edges of flesh were knit together. Prussia remembered the placement of every stitch.


End file.
